


best thing

by exactly13percent



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, M/M, Post-Canon, Short One Shot, Some Sexy Flavor, i didn't know i cared about them, they fucked me up guys, what the fuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-15 23:15:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21026357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exactly13percent/pseuds/exactly13percent
Summary: "Afraid of the water?""No. Are you, mister 'best hair in all of exy?'"💀Aaron has 48 hours off. Kevin has a party to attend. They both have unanswered questions.





	best thing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IKnowWhoYouAre_Damianos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IKnowWhoYouAre_Damianos/gifts).

There is a buzzing near Kevin’s head. He inhales slowly, exhales through his nose. He doesn’t move yet but he stretches, flexing muscles from head to toe, feeling his legs shudder. A distant part of his brain recognizes that this is his second alarm; the one that he rises to. His right hand slides under his pillow at an awkward angle, fingers inching beneath his head to reach for his phone and stop the vibration.

When it stops, Kevin squeezes his eyes shut harder and then opens them. The window across from him is covered, blackout curtains draped perfectly to shut out any evidence that it is six in the morning. Light may have invaded the world, but it doesn’t touch the bedroom. It doesn’t touch Aaron, sleeping tucked up against Kevin’s chest.

Kevin is slowly aware that Aaron is still clinging to Kevin’s arm ( _ he trusts him _ ) like it is a seatbelt keeping him safe. Aaron’s hands are just a little cold, like always, even despite the blankets that cover the both of them.

_ Pull him in. _ It’s a bone-deep reaction, a gut instinct that drives Kevin to act. It feels strange to feel it, after years of not allowing these things. He still isn’t used to the sensation of wants and needs that aren’t tangled up in pain ( _ always pain _ ) and fear. He’s getting better, though.

Kevin pulls Aaron closer to his chest. The silenced alarm doesn’t bother him as much as it used to; he can ignore his running shoes and change of clothes folded in the corner of the bedroom. There is time for that later, maybe after Aaron wakes up and they make breakfast.

Aaron’s voice comes out rough from sleep, a little slurred and mumbled. “Goin’ out?”

“No. Go back to sleep.”

Aaron hums lazily. He’s out again almost immediately, relaxing into Kevin like he never woke up. Kevin counts the beats of Aaron’s breathing and soon, he’s drifting again.

💀

This time, it’s Aaron’s alarm. Nine in the morning today, since his classes aren’t early and he doesn’t have to be at the hospital for another forty-eight hours. He blindly swipes at his phone until it quiets.

There is a warm arm pressed against Aaron’s chest. It feels nice, like a mini space heater radiating warmth ( _ and something else _ ) through his body. He presses his fingers against the brown skin and finds a familiar mole, one of many, a dark star that fits into a constellation. Kevin is covered in them, a map of an alien sky that no one has seen. No one but Aaron.

Not entirely true. Others have seen, before. That’s what Aaron calls it in his mind— _ before _ . Before the Foxes, before triumph, before freedom. Before Aaron. Before them.

Anyway, Kevin is not what Kevin was, so Aaron is the first. Kevin said so himself, one of the first nights when they sat in the middle of the bed and pulled the sheets in around them.

“You awake?” Kevin murmurs. His breath is a hot whisper against Aaron’s neck that sends a shiver up his spine.

Aaron reflexively grips Kevin’s arm. “Yeah.”

“Want breakfast?”

“Shower first.”

Kevin nods against Aaron’s shoulder. His hair tickles Aaron’s skin, a teasing reminder.  _ Or stay in bed,  _ Aaron thinks. He almost says it but the prospect of pancakes makes his stomach rumble. Aaron slides his legs out of bed; his feet hit the floor and it’s cool, a reminder that it’s late fall. The weather outside will be cold.

Even in the few feet it takes to walk to the bathroom, Aaron shivers. His skin prickles and his thin shirt isn’t enough to keep him warm, especially now that he’s not pressed up against Kevin. Aaron slips out of his clothes as quickly as he can and jumps into the shower. He backs up against a corner of the stall, which is far too big and also has a seat at one end.

Kevin’s lips twist into a half-smile. He is still sleepy, which is probably why he everything is at the surface—slow smiles, puffs of soft laughter, the way his warm brown eyes linger on Aaron. Kevin twists the shower head to full heat as quickly as he can and Aaron squints, feeling stray drops hit his cheeks.

“Afraid of the water?” Kevin murmurs. He pulls his shirt off in one languid motion, singlehanded, and Aaron thinks he should look away. He doesn’t.

_ How many years?  _ Kevin doesn’t do three in the morning practice any more but he still looks like he never leaves the court.

It occurs to Aaron that Kevin is waiting. He shrugs one shoulder and tries not to think about how naked he is. He occupies himself with a bottle of body wash snatched from a nearby shelf. He can feel the still-cool spray of water against his arm when he pulls it back. “No. Are you, mister ‘best hair in all of exy?’”

Kevin pauses with his thumbs stuck in the band of his underwear. Aaron studiously avoids looking down. “Was that supposed to be an insult?”

Aaron points the bottle in his hands at Kevin and squeezes. The flowery-smelling soap halfheartedly splashes against Kevin’s stupid perfect abs and sticks there, slowly making its way down his body. Kevin just looks down at the soap with a raised eyebrow.

“Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Yeah, get in the shower, Day,” Aaron replies. “I’m waiting.”

Aaron doesn’t particularly mean for it to sound flirtatious but it does anyway. He pretends it’s the heat of the shower that makes his face feel warm and not the way Kevin is smirking at him.  _ Smug asshole. _ Kevin finishes undressing and Aaron does not ( _ does _ ) look at Kevin’s ass before he joins Aaron in the shower.

It’s early. Early enough for Aaron to be willing to indulge in shower sex ( _ despite the medical danger, he should know _ ) if Kevin decides to initiate. Which he sometimes does. Initiate, that is. It’s probably just another mark of  _ before  _ that makes it one thing Kevin has, where he is less willing to initiate. But he does with Aaron. When he wants.

Today doesn’t seem like one of those days. Or maybe Kevin is just satisfied making Aaron wait, teasing him like he always did before they were  _ them, _ sometimes too snide or blunt but always interested.

Kevin takes their shampoo from the shelf and turns it upside down, unhurried as he waits for it to pool at the top ( _ bottom, ha _ ) of the bottle. Aaron presses his left hand against the tiles of the shower wall and blindly traces the grooves between them, imagining forking paths.  _ In how many worlds did we never speak after college? _ It’s a game for Aaron sometimes, wondering why Kevin spoke to him in the first place or why Aaron said yes ( _ stupidity runs in the family. _ )

Aaron can hear faint music coming from outside the shower. He frowns and peers out, tugging the curtain away from the edge. “Is that—”

“Morning playlist,” Kevin confirms.

Aaron ducks back into the shower and immediately feels something cool on his head. Kevin places the bottle back in its place and threads his fingers into Aaron’s hair, massaging carefully. Aaron hums and leans into the touch.  _ Nice. _

“So. What are you going to be for Halloween?”

Aaron opens his eyes ( _ squinting, in case of soap _ ) and looks up at Kevin. “You’re not serious.”

“I am. Team’s hosting a party. There’s other ones, too. Didn’t you say your class was—”

“I am not dressing up and dealing with drunk med students on my forty-eight hours off.”

Kevin chuckles. He is probably thinking about the last time Aaron’s classmates came over for a party ( _ Kevin has natural hosting talent, even when it’s not enforced _ ) and someone threw up in the sink.

“Well, I’m going to stop by the team party. If you don’t want to come…”

It’s not an ultimatum. Aaron knows that. It’s also not like before, when they were on the same team. Aaron doesn’t need to go and no one can make him. There is no deal that could secure his attendance ( _ well, no work-safe deal _ ) and there is no reason for Aaron to attend. Aside from the obvious, of course.  _ Go because it’s Kevin. Go because you’d be with him. _

Still. It’s Aaron’s time off and he wants at least a few hours to sit in silence, no emergency room alarms or panicking parents, no children crying, no angry addicts knocking things over. All that Aaron wants is a few hours of silence and maybe some ice cream.

“Maybe late. After they’re all drunk and less likely to start conversations,” Aaron says.

Kevin’s eyebrows raise. “Not possible. Besides, Parrish would come just to make sure you weren’t depressed or something.”

“Yeah.” Aaron snorts. “You know how to pick them.”

Kevin’s wobbly smile says that he is trying not to laugh, but he isn’t laughing at Aaron’s words. Aaron can tell. He sees the way Kevin is looking at Aaron’s head and Aaron pauses, eyes narrowed at Kevin. “What?”

Kevin laughs. It’s distracting enough for Aaron to forget there is something wrong, but then Aaron finally catches a glimpse of himself in the small hanging mirror behind Kevin. His shampoo-laden hair is spiked into horns. “Seriously?”

“Sorry,” Kevin says. He doesn’t sound like it. Aaron mutters a few halfhearted threats before taking half the soap in his hair and dumping it on Kevin. Kevin allows it, bending over to present his dark head for inspection.

_ This is nice.  _ The stray thought floats through Aaron’s mind like the steam filling the bathroom. It’s been a while since he’s had free time and longer since he’s had free time with Kevin. They are both busy with different things and there’s never enough time. They barely know what they are besides together, and even that is sometimes unclear.

More often than not, Aaron finds himself sitting on their couch listening to a murder podcast and wondering why Kevin is still around. Even now, Aaron looks up at Kevin while the water washes over them and wonders what they are doing.

Kevin catches Aaron’s gaze. “Done?”

_ No.  _ He doesn’t want to be but that is stupid, so Aaron says, “Yes.”

“Okay.”

Aaron doesn’t make it out of the shower before Kevin has the largest, warmest towel thrown around him. Aaron pulls it tight around his body, arms tucked inside its softness. He wants to crawl back into bed and he yawns, pressing his nose into the towel to hide it.

“Come here.” Kevin beckons, a waist-high drawer open and his hands occupied with a sweater. It looks impossibly soft; it’s probably cashmere, since it’s Kevin’s.

Aaron hums. “Haven’t worn this one yet.”

“Now you have.” Kevin pulls the sweater over Aaron’s head; it is approximately four sizes too big, which means it hits Aaron’s knees. It is probably loose on Kevin.

Aaron brings his hands up to his face and wiggles his fingers until the sleeves bunch around his wrists. They won’t stay there but he likes the sensation of the soft sweater against his skin. He feels warm.

Aaron looks up, about to say something, but he forgets what that is. Kevin is still bent close and Aaron doesn’t know who moves closer first; all Aaron knows is that he tilts his head just a little, two degrees, and then Kevin’s lips are warm against his.  _ Oh,  _ it isn’t an answer to all the questions but somehow it is, and Aaron doesn’t have anything else to ask so long as he can hold this one kiss on his lips.

Kevin is annoyingly tall. Aaron blames height for his choice to slide his hands onto the back of Kevin’s neck and not a desire to stay there forever. Aaron blames the morning for the rush of heat he feels when Kevin’s tongue presses against his lips. Kevin walks backwards until he reaches the bed, slides down onto it, and pulls Aaron closer.

Aaron hums distractedly; he can feel Kevin’s hands slip under the sweater’s hem. “Mm...missed this.”

“Yeah?” Kevin doesn’t sound too pleased with himself, so Aaron decides to indulge him and continue kissing. Kevin smiles between kisses when he says, “Me too.”

It would be nice to spend the day this way ( _ and all days _ ) but Kevin has practice and a party. Kevin’s phone buzzes, one of his thousands of alarms ringing to remind him how much time he has left. Aaron groans as Kevin attempts to pull himself away. A few failed attempts later, Kevin finally sighs and withdraws his hands. “Okay. Time to go.”

“You’d better be back soon, Day. I’ll get lonely.”

“Can’t have that.” Kevin presses a final kiss to Aaron’s lips and rises quickly, his usual efficient manner returning as he dresses. “Come on. I have time for breakfast.”

💀

Aaron is on the couch with his legs propped up on a stack of pillows, phone in hand. He hasn’t moved much since breakfast. There are still two hours until Kevin returns to change in time for his party and Aaron can’t stop looking at the time.

_ Stop thinking about it.  _ Aaron shifts, wiggling up the sofa to find a comfortable position. He feels something shift and suddenly, there’s a clacking sound as something hits the floor. Aaron frowns and leans over the edge of the sofa, expecting a remote or pen that was lost in the couch. Instead, he sees an unfamiliar plastic device.

Aaron can just touch the edge of the device with his fingertips. He grunts in annoyance and slides it closer in bursts, finally picking it up to inspect it. He can tell that it is probably an old music player, maybe even from when they were at Palmetto. It’s still nearly immaculate ( _ of course Kevin wouldn’t scratch it _ ), though the color looks dull with age.

Music isn’t something Aaron and Kevin share much. It seems trivial to focus on things like that when they’ve been through the things they have. Their spare time is more about doing things like buying plants for the balcony and relaxing while assembling a side table for the bedroom. When he thinks about it, Aaron isn’t sure he realized before how domestic they are.  _ Who would have thought Kevin Day would be a homemaker? _

Home. Aaron runs a finger along the edge of the music player and wonders when the word became true. They haven’t been living together for too long and before that, their places were far enough apart that they didn’t see each other every day.  _ Now we’re close, but we don’t have the time to see each other.  _ Aaron sighs and taps the music player, frowning.

He must have pressed a button. The music player comes to life and Aaron watches the screen illuminate, bright colors swooping before it settles onto a scrolling song title. Aaron slides his thumb over a wheel on the right side of the device and uses the arrows to navigate, clicking things he doesn't mean to as he attempts to figure it out.

Suddenly, there is a list. Playlists, actually, set by default to sort alphabetically. Aaron stares at the screen and wonders.  _ What did he listen to the most?  _ A few of them are predictable, titles like  _ Practice  _ and  _ Study _ . Aaron changes the sorting and watches the text flicker, playlists shuffling into the most frequented first.

_ That’s my name. _

It says  _ Aaron  _ right there at the top. Aaron stares at it and waits for the word to change, for his brain to realize he missed a letter or is just confused. It never happens. The screen says  _ Aaron  _ and the playlist is there, waiting, enticing.

_ Most listened to? _

Aaron’s thumb presses without his permission. He selects the playlist and then he stares at the ceiling, mind whirling, thinking about Kevin thinking of Aaron.  _ He made this and thought of me. _

💀

Kevin opens the front door and finds Aaron standing there, hair pushed back from his face and one arm through a leather jacket.

“I’m coming with you.”

Probably this is where Kevin should answer, but he is too busy staring at Aaron’s flawless paint job ( _ don’t think about other jobs _ ) and the way the skull makeup seems to make Aaron look softer rather than angrier.  _ How does that work? _

Aaron taps his fingers against his thighs. Nervous energy; Kevin’s noticed it before. Only now, Aaron is wearing fingerless gloves. “Well?”

“Looks like you raided Andrew’s closet,” Kevin says.  _ You dumb fuck. _

Kevin anticipates the slap Aaron lands on Kevin’s shoulder. It is more than deserved, he knows. He takes the punishment as a segue and dumps his gym bag on the floor before making his way to the bedroom. “Yeah, of course. Are you sure? I mean, it’s your forty-eight off and—”

“I’m sure.” Aaron follows Kevin into the bedroom and then stops. He is still nervously bouncing.

“Is something wrong?”

“What? Why? What do you mean?”

Kevin stares at Aaron, squinting. He waits for Aaron to consciously restrain himself. “I mean, you seem jumpy.”

“I wanna go out.” Aaron crosses his arms over his chest; the leather of his jacket creaks. “That’s all.”

“All right.”

Kevin doesn’t press for an answer. He doesn’t really need one and he’s still a little off kilter from being faced immediately upon returning with a very different Aaron than the one he left in the morning. Kevin shrugs and quickly strips, making his way to the shower. He’s keen on leaving quickly and now that he has Aaron with him, it seems like the party might actually be enjoyable.

Everything is already ready for Kevin. He planned it that way, his costume and bag hanging on the closet doors so he doesn’t waste time. Costumes have never been of much interest to Kevin but there’s no denying that there is some satisfaction in dressing up in something that wasn’t picked for him, something that isn’t a suit. Every year since graduation, Kevin has found himself indulging in the process more and more.

Aaron sits on the bed while Kevin changes. He may be staring. “Vampire,” he says. “I couldn’t tell before the cape. It’s just leather pants and a shirt like the one you wore for the Vogue photoshoot.”

“Just leather pants.” Kevin snorts. “They’re—”

“Tailored?” Aaron guesses. His sarcasm does nothing to hide the way Kevin catches Aaron’s eyes lingering at Kevin’s ass. “Sure. Are you ready?”

Kevin doesn’t answer, preoccupied with the burgundy lipstick ( _ hope I get to wear it off later tonight _ ) that he is attempting to apply. When he finishes, he shoves the lipstick in his pocket and holds his hands up in surrender. “I’m ready.”

Aaron looks angry at the concept of Kevin. It’s the same look Aaron used to give Kevin when they started as roommates, accidental touches multiplying until the tension broke and they both slipped.  _ Not a bad slip, either. _ It’s been a pleasant slide into this...whatever they have.

“Let’s go.”

💀

Aaron wants to blame too many drinks for the decision he is about to make, but he can’t. Kevin is effectively sober these days, save for very special occasions. Aaron is sober because he never has time to drink and he favors being lucid when he’s around Kevin.

Basically, Aaron is barely tipsy but he keeps looking at Kevin in his tight leather and lipstick and thinking about how satisfying it would be to just kiss him.

Kevin’s not closeted. He’s not secretive about being bi; he’s just...quiet. His sexuality completely dominated the world of Exy— _ his  _ world—for nearly a year. It still does in some ways. Kevin has never openly dated and he makes the effort not to let anything about his personal life leak too far into the media.

Aaron’s never minded. He’s not a public figure and doesn’t care to be one. But now, watching Kevin socialize and lean against walls in his stupid costume with his stupid perfect hair and everything makes Aaron want to be able to kiss him. Aaron wants to kiss Kevin right there, in front of anyone, and not think twice about it.

_ Fuck it.  _ Aaron pulls himself away from Kevin’s side, interrupting the conversation Kevin is having with one of his teammates. Aaron has to raise his voice a little over the music to say, “I’ll be right back.”

Kevin looks like he wants to protest, a little line appearing between his brows. Aaron presses his thumb to it and leaves quickly. It’s their silent agreement and it only means _okay._ _I’m okay. _Aaron tosses his cup into a trash can as he makes his way toward the speakers and table set up in the corner. His heart is pounding its way into his throat.

The guy behind the table looks up and pulls his headphones down when he sees Aaron. He nods once, gesturing for Aaron to come around the table and come closer. He’s almost yelling when he asks, “What’ll it be?”

“For Kevin,” Aaron blurts. He doesn’t mean to and when the explanation leaves his mouth, he almost turns and runs. He forces himself to stay and pull the music player from his pocket. “This one.”

The guy looks at the screen. He nods, a half-smirk on his lips like he knows something Aaron doesn’t. Aaron ignores it, manages a thank you, and walks as quickly as he can back to Kevin. He only remembers that he has the music player in his hand when he sees Kevin’s face.

Kevin freezes, mouth half-open as he looks down at Aaron’s hand. He looks like he’s doing differential equations. “Is that…”

Aaron shoves the device in his pocket. He’s about to figure out how to reply when a voice comes through the speakers, the song fading and morphing into something else. “This one’s for Kevin.”

_ Oh, shit. _

The music slows. The song begins and Aaron is staring up at Kevin, no clue what the fuck he meant to say or do.  _ What did I expect? What did I want? _ Aaron swallows and it doesn’t work; the words spill out messily, like he’s drunk and vomiting it out. “It’s on my playlist of you.”

💀

_ Playlist. Me. _

Kevin thinks his heart has stopped pumping blood. He isn’t sure he is breathing and he isn’t sure he needs to.

( _ I bet you think that’s pretty clever, don’t you boy? _ )

Aaron looks like he is dying inside and that won’t do. Kevin throws his cup in a trash can and has Aaron’s hand in his immediately. He pulls them into a small crowd of already-swaying people and finds a place for them.

( _ Watching all the ground beneath you drop. _ )

“Wait, are you—”

“Yes,” Kevin says. He thinks his voice might crack but he can’t hear it. He can hear his blood rushing in his ears. He can hear the song and see Aaron standing before him, nervous and worried and hopeful.

They’ve always been at an awkward slant, height difference making things less than intuitive between them. It doesn’t come naturally for Kevin to fit his hands on Aaron’s waist. None of their relationship has come naturally.  _ Maybe that’s why it felt more important.  _ They worked for everything and they still do. It sometimes feels like they’re fighting for time.

( _ Kill yourself to never ever stop _ )

Aaron’s hand slides up Kevin’s chest. His fingers dip into the neck of Kevin’s shirt and hang there, questioning.  _ Can I? _ Kevin almost leans down; he barely restrains himself, focusing on tracing the side of Aaron’s face with his hand. His hand that was broken, mangled, a reminder. It looks different in the strobing lights.

“You don’t have to,” Aaron says.

“What? Do this?” Kevin shakes his head distractedly. “I want to.”

“It’ll make things harder on you. You already—” Aaron’s voice cracks.

( _ You’re turning into something you are not _ )

“No. No, I want to.” Kevin thinks they’re almost standing still. He isn’t really paying attention anymore. “I want you.”

Aaron is wordless. His mouth is open to say something but nothing comes out and he shakes his head, fingers curling tighter on Kevin’s shirt. He looks the way he did the first time, confused and frustrated and helplessly drawn in.

Mostly Aaron looks like he is wondering why they ended up here and how. He also looks like he doesn’t give a shit about what the answers are.

_ That’s probably why I love him. _

Kevin kisses Aaron while the song reaches its chorus. It feels right and good, and it feels like he’s been waiting for it all day.

It feels like coming home.

**Author's Note:**

> this is one of my favorite commissioned fics ever???  
anyway i hope everyone enjoyed this and uhh i might be infected with the kevaaron bug so maybe look forward to more stuff


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